27 August 2024: The University of Canberra and the Canberra Institute of Technology have signed a new institutional-level Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening the long-standing partnership between both institutions and expanding educational opportunities for students across the ACT region.
The three-year agreement outlines a broad framework for collaboration between the two institutions, focusing on enhancing student pathways, sharing specialist facilities, and exploring innovative approaches to vocational education and training (VET) and higher education integration.
CIT Interim CEO Christine Robertson emphasised the importance of this renewed partnership.
“This MoU represents a significant step forward for both CIT and UC. By working together, we can offer our students more opportunities, from enhanced articulation pathways to shared resources that will enrich their learning experience.
“The recently released Universities Accord final report notes that higher education and VET are two important parts of the same system, each bringing different strengths.
“In addition, barriers between VET and higher education need to be broken down to ensure a more seamless and integrated tertiary education system – with established pathways to and from each other.
“This will highlight best practice higher education collaboration to deliver excellence in training, design and delivery – and the enhancement of clear pathways to support the student experience and workforce needs,” Ms Robertson said.
The agreement is designed to be flexible to ensure that the partnership continues to meet the evolving needs of both institutions, students and the local Canberra community.
“Partnering with CIT to breakdown these barriers and make tertiary education more accessible and inclusive is directly aligned with our strategic plan Connected and UC’s immersive connection to Canberra,” Professor Lucy Johnston, Interim Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra said.
“The partnership will provide a broader range of study options to domestic ACT and regional students and, importantly, pathways to a university degree in Canberra.
“UC and CIT were established with the intent purpose to serve the needs of Canberra, making this collaborative arrangement uniquely Canberra-centric and well positioned to enhance access to higher education in a truly inclusive way. It will enable students to tackle their studies with the confidence that they will have the necessary skills to enter the workplace upon graduation.”
Ms Robertson emphasised that the partnership would broaden opportunities for tertiary education in the ACT region, now and into the future.
“Our collaboration with the University of Canberra exemplifies our commitment to creating a seamless educational landscape in the ACT.
“Together, we are paving the way for innovative educational models that will serve the needs of future generations.”
Image by Liam Budge.
